After a long debate Monday night, Amherstburg council awarded the tender for the construction of multi-use trails at Jack Purdie Park.
In August 2022, council approved the master plan for Jack Purdie Park, and as part of phase one, an accessible playground was installed and opened in July 2023.
Phase two includes the design, planning and construction of an accessible multi-use pathway system within the park that connects all park amenities.
A total of twelve bids were received for the project ranging from $375,805 to $530,776.50 plus HST, all over-budget.
That did not sit well with Councillor Peter Courtney.
"If we keep approving overtures of these projects, and I understand there's a risk of it going up, but that's not fiscal responsibility when we just keep nodding our heads at oh that's $100,000 more, oh that's $300,000 more, oh that's $500,000 more, enough is enough, really," Courtney said.
Councillor Donald McArthur said despite the inflationary increase, the trails need to be completed.
"It'll benefit the people in The Monopoly Subdivision, it'll benefit the entire community, it'll benefit the 6,300 people with accessibility issues in town because it is going to make a wider path from the narrow one, it's going to fix a patch work of alligator cracks, and it's going to be AODA compliant," McArthur said.
Mayor Michael Prue said this project has been four and half years in the making.
"I'm disappointed that it costs more money than we thought it was going to cost, but I will tell you that council has to think long term, we have to listen to the residents, the community organized itself and said exactly what they wanted in this park," said Prue.
Murray Mills Excavating & Trucking Ltd out of Sarnia was awarded the $375,805 tender.
There is a $107,419.17 shortfall, with $77,419.17 to be pulled from the from the Park Reserve, and a yet to be awarded $30,000 grant from Enbridge ‘Giving Back to Communities’ program.
Should the town fail to receive the grant, administration will use funding from the Canada Community Benefit Fund.
Administration is also looking into sponsorship opportunities to generate revenue.